


What Family's For

by graysonsflight



Series: Lost and Found [3]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Batman Bingo 2020: School, Bi-Dick, Bullying, But also snarky, Gen, Protective Siblings, Supportive Jason Tood, batfam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:02:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23793547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graysonsflight/pseuds/graysonsflight
Summary: A group of boys have been harassing Dick since Bruce had taken him in, and he’d been thrust into the world of Gotham aristocracy. They’d stuck primarily to taunts of circus freak or charity case and the occasional knocking of books out of his hands. It hadn’t been great, but it had always been manageable. Until it isn’t, and Dick is alone in the hall, refusing to fight back because Dick Grayson shouldn’t know how.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Jason Todd
Series: Lost and Found [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/58469
Comments: 19
Kudos: 282





	What Family's For

**Author's Note:**

> Hey lovely, this is pretty much my normal: This is a part of my Lost and Found Universe - but you can 100% read this independently. Strongly features brother relationship of Dick and Jason. Thank you to the Bat Family 18+ discord for their help with the title and general support <3 And to MillenniumRobin the beta who's stuck with me.

“Grayson!” Dick sighed, hearing his name called out like a curse. He set his books down in his locker, plastering a fake smile onto his face as he closed it and turned towards the group approaching him. The hall was mostly empty, and anyone still milling about would be of no use.

“Vance,” Dick acknowledged, shifting slightly so that he could press his shoulder blades against his locker. “What can I do for you?” His smile never faltered as he immediately started calculating an escape route. Vance Keating and his buddies, Preston von Doren and Orson Montgomery, had been what teachers referred to as “a challenge” for Dick ever since Bruce had taken him in and he’d been thrust into the world of Gotham aristocracy.

They’d stuck primarily to taunts of _circus freak_ or _charity case_ and the occasional knocking of books out of his hands. It hadn’t been great, but it had always been manageable. Attending Gotham’s elite schools often meant dealing with not only extreme competition from some incredibly bright students but also kids who had been told they were special their whole lives, just because they were lucky enough to be born into a rich family.

As he’d gotten older and begun training for his _extra curricular_ activities, Dick had started to grow into his body, which meant he was being noticed for more positive things by the opposite sex. This hadn’t sat well with Keating and his crew who seemed to think they were owed attention just for existing. The taunts had evolved to more colorful things, occasionally bringing up his dead parents, his less than lily-white skin, or his mooching off of “Daddy Wayne-bucks’” money – like they weren’t doing everything they could to bleed their parent’s dry.

And they had gotten more physical with him too – it wasn’t like he couldn’t take a punch, or avoid one if he needed. No, the hard part was always making it seem like he _didn’t_ spend significant portions of his free time sparing with a half-Kryptonian.

Vance approached him head on, with Preston flanking to the left and Orson covering the right. Dick tried not to sigh as the other boys got closer. He was supposed to be out front to meet with Jason who’d been staying after for detention after mouthing off to Dean Snyder. A _gain_. Dick knew he could have made a run for it, but he didn’t trust putting his back to them.

“Did I hear you’ve been talking with Addison Kline?” Vance demanded, his finger outstretched and less than a foot from Dick’s face.

Dick didn’t know how to answer that. He didn’t think he should have to, and he just really wasn’t feeling this argument today.

“Look, Vance, my ride is waiting for me, can we not?”

“You see,” Vance drawled, ignoring him and stepping even closer. “I heard from Orson here that the two of you were making plans for this weekend.”

Dick wanted to roll his eyes. He and Addison Kline had been talking at lunch. She had been fishing for him to invite her out. Never mind that he hadn’t; it wasn’t any of Vance’s business.

“Seriously?” he asked, knowing full well it was the wrong move, but Dick was tired.

“I told you, Vance,” Orson quipped, looking irrationally smug for such an inept spy.

“Quiet,” Vance snapped. His blue eyes narrowed as his cheeks flushed. “Addison Kline is off limits to you, circus freak.”

“Last I checked, Vance,” Dick replied, keeping his voice as light as possible. “If I wanted to take Addie on a date, the only person I’d need to ask was her.” Dick had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling, as Vance’s blush darkened from pink to scarlet.

“Listen, Grayson, I know you think you’re hot shit, but you’re still a nobody. You’re nothing.” He shouldn’t, Dick knew he shouldn’t, but he gave in and let his smile slip onto his face.

“I don’t know. I seem to be doing pretty well for myself.” He watched all three of the boys in front of him tightened their stances.

“The girls just want you because you’re a novelty,” Vance growled. “They might hookup with you, because you’re…” But the blonde couldn’t quite find the words he wanted, choosing instead to gesture vaguely at Dick’s body, his lips curling up in a sneer.

Dick laughed. He couldn’t help it. He knew Alfred was going to lecture him later for what he was about to do, but it was just too easy.

“I’m sorry, Vance, I’m just looking to clear this up. You’re jealous, I get that. But is it because Addie is going on a date with me, or because _I’m_ going on a date with Addie, and not _you_?” It took the three of them about half a second to get it, but the instant it clicked in, Vance Keating lunged for him, his hands pinning Dick against the locker.

“What did you say to me, you little fag?” Vance practically shouted. Dick could feel his adrenaline starting to kick in, and he let his control slip, cocking his head to the side with a smirk that Barbara had hit him for on more than one occasion.

“You heard me,” Dick laughed. “I mean, you’re really not my type, but I am pretty flexible.” Dick hardly had the taunt out before Vance shifted his weight and buried his fist into Dick’s stomach. It wasn’t comfortable by any stretch of the imagination, but he had been hit harder. This week, in fact, which was probably part of the problem.

“Get him, Vance!” Preston encouraged, earning Dick another punch.

“How dare you talk to me like that!” Vance growled, grabbing his shoulders and shoving him back into the lockers harder than before. Dick smiled. He knew he was in deep and figured he might as well go in for the kill.

“Let me be clear, it isn’t that you’re not attractive,” he hissed. “It’s your personality that sucks.” It was about half a step too far, and Dick had not been expecting the next punch that went straight for his face. Up until now, they’d avoided anywhere they’d leave visible marks. Dick cursed, feeling his lip split against his teeth.

“You’re a fucking faggot,” Vance growled. “I’ve seen you at parties, slipping away into the shadows, girls, guys – it doesn’t matter to you, whore.” Dick would have laughed if Vance’s fist hadn’t buried itself into the side of his ribs. A part of him hated that he occasionally had to make appearances at the stupid loft parties his classmates threw in their parents’ city apartments. It was all a game, an act to keep the gossip tabloids busy so none of them ever started to put the real puzzle pieces together. Yeah – a part of him hated it; the other part was a sixteen-year-old boy who _really_ _enjoyed_ the physical attention.

What he actually hated was, at this moment, he couldn’t fight back. Dick could feel his hands clenching into fits at his sides as Vance’s cronies jeered. Mentally, he started calculating what he could get away with. What he could make look like an accident. His instincts kicked in as Vance took another shot at his face, a wild thing coming for Dick’s nose.

Dick turned his head just in time, shifting it enough so that Vance slammed his fist into the lockers with a howl. But with his head turned, Dick had missed two very important things. The first was Preston von Doren coming at him, landing a fist against his jaw, the second was Jason Todd, all five-feet-ten-inches of him sprinting down the hallway.

“Don’t fucking touch him,” Jason yelled, pulling Preston back and nailing him in the face. Dick smiled as the guy’s knees buckled. No, there was no reason circus freak Dick Grayson would know how to fight, but Gotham City street-rat Jason Todd? _That_ they could get away with.

Jason moved his body in front of Dick’s, his hands already up and guarding his face. Being two years younger didn’t stop him from being Dick’s height already, and with his stockier build and broader chest, Dick knew it wouldn’t be long before his _little brother_ towered over him.

“Oh, so you need Wayne’s other charity case to come save you? Aren’t you like fourteen?” Vance hissed, still holding his bruised hand while Orson moved to pull Preston back up to his feet.

“Big talk from a guy who needed a three-on-one to feel superior,” Jason said, feinting forward just to watch the three older boys recoil.

“I’m going to report you to Dean Snyder!” Preston threatened. Dick tried not to be too happy about the bruise he could already start to see forming on the guy’s jaw.

“Go ahead,” Jason said with a shrug. He was starting to loosen his stance, but Dick noticed he still stood directly in front of him. “You idiots were dumb enough to start something less than two feet from a camera.” They all turned their eyes to the security camera Jason motioned to with a jerk of his head.

“Don’t think this is over, Grayson,” Vance growled, the three of them already starting to back away. “I’m going to tell everyone you need a _freshman_ to fight your battles.”

“I’m okay with it,” Dick said with a shrug, finally bringing his hand up to wipe away the blood oozing from his split lip.

When the three of them had finally started to run, their bodies disappearing around a corner, Jason turned to look Dick in the eye.

“Are you fucking stupid?” he asked, eyes narrowing in on the split lip and bruise forming on Dick’s cheek.

“Hey, Jay, thanks for the backup,” Dick retorted, bending down to pick up his backpack. He groaned slightly as Jason shoved his shoulder back into his locker.

“That wasn’t backup, you idiot! You just stood there and let them hit you!”

“Can we have this conversation in the car, please?” he asked, peeling himself from the wall and knocking Jason’s shoulder with his own as he moved past him.

“Oh, so you want Al to hear it too?” Jason snapped, moving easily to keep pace.

“Not particularly, but since I know he’s going to ask about the blood…”

“Dickie, you could have taken all three of those scumbags without breaking a sweat. Why did you just stand there?”

Dick sighed, pushing the front doors of the building open and walking into the sunlight.

“Because, Jay, _Dick Grayson_ doesn’t know how to fight.”

“Oh Bruce is going to love that answer,” Jason sighed dramatically. Dick spun to face him, stopping before they’d made it within Alfred’s line of sight.

“Bruce isn’t going to find out,” he said through clenched teeth. “And neither is Alfred, okay?”

“And how exactly are you planning on explaining the blood on your school uniform then?” Jason asked incredulously. “Or the bruise right here.” He punctuated the idea by pressing two fingers into Dick’s already aching jaw.

“I don’t know,” Dick snapped, pushing his hand away. “We’ll tell them I fell or something.”

“You don’t fall on your face, dumbass.”

“I tripped reading a book, then.”

“You don’t like reading.”

“I don’t know Jason, what do you think I should tell them?” Dick all but yelled, throwing his hands up in frustration.

“I don’t know, the truth?” Jason asked, his eyes going over Dick’s head to where Alfred was parked. “What was it this time?”

Dick sighed, his eyes flicking over to where Alfred was starting to get out of the car.

“Addison Kline was talking to me at lunch.”

“Addie? She’s cute,” Jason shrugged, the corner of his mouth turning up in a smile.

“Go for it,” Dick offered. “She’s not really my type.”

“You mean she’s not Barbie,” Jason said matter-of-factly, his smile growing wider.

“I go for people other than just Barbara, Jay,” Dick chastised him without any real energy. “I pushed them too far. Keating was getting in my face, I pretended to flirt, he called me a fag, then he punched me in the mouth.”

Jason’s whole body tightened as the smile dropped from his face.

“They’re a bunch of homophobic assholes,” he spat, his hands clenching back into fists like he was rethinking having let them go.

“They are,” Dick agreed easily. “Let’s go, Al looks like he’s ready to start charging over here.”

“The guys you hookup with are way better looking anyway. Keating’s just jealous girls like you more and he’s so far beneath the guys you could get.”

“ _We_ don’t talk about the people I hookup with Jay,” Dick said with a laugh. “But thank you for your support.”

“No, we only talk about Babs, and that’s only because I keep catching the two of you.”

“You’re the only one who’s doing the talking,” Dick growled as they moved towards Alfred. When the older man caught sight of Dick’s face he began walking purposefully towards them. “And if you don’t stop, I’m going to give you a matching split lip.”

“Master Richard,” Alfred called just before reaching them. “What in Heaven’s name happened to your face?” He reached out his hands, still in his driving gloves, and took hold of Dick’s face turning it left and right in the late sunlight.

“This dumbass fell down the stairs,” Jason offered. “He was reading and missed the last two steps.”

“Language, Master Jason,” Alfred scolded, finally letting go of Dick’s face. “We’ll ice it as soon as we’re home.” Dick didn’t miss the way Alfred’s eyes drifted down to the reddened knuckles of Jason’s right hand, but he didn’t say anything. It wouldn’t have been the first time Dick and Jason had used their fists instead of their words in an argument, but usually they kept it to the training mat. He handed Dick a cloth handkerchief before moving back towards the driver’s side door.

“Thanks,” Dick whispered, knocking his shoulder lightly into Jason. “For all of it.”

“Whatever,” Jason shrugged. “It’s what family’s supposed to do, right?”

Dick hid his smile behind the handkerchief as he slid into the backseat after Jason. He leaned back in his seat, grateful for the way Jason took every one of Al’s questions, regaling the Englishman with tales from his advanced literature course. The kid had been right – this _was_ what family was for. And Dick was thankful that Jason was a part of his.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I appreciate feedback (and cookies).


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